Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
Step in line or stand out, and though the hypocrites and demanders will see the latter as a form of self-indulgence they can’t wait to knock and bring down, the fact is that Under The Light of examination, under the spotlight of consideration and analysis, the worthy, the brilliant, the exceptional, will always stand out and be looked upon as the revival of a period which they themselves have been inspired by; and thought upon as those without shadow, without equal.
To say that Revival Black are one of the finest groups you will come across is an understatement, the sound is elevated, it is stamped in gorgeous undertones, it breathes fire, and from the moment they started gaining attention in their home city of Liverpool, from the moment that Daniel Byrne took to the stage with the rest of the players in tight packed venues, so was born the start of what should be, and will become, a legend of dramatic rock made human and accessible to all.
Quite rightly they went against the advice of stepping in line, and in the new album of Under The Light, what comes through the airwaves is continuance, is an extension of endurance and polish, and whilst Step In Line was an eye opener, it seems was just a prelude of what was to come. For Under The Light is dynamic, it is fierce, and as tracks such as Take You Out, Broken Home, Hemispheres, Left Of Me, Change My Mind, and the finale of Hurricane blast the listener into welcome adoration, the mood that is unveiled is one of honour, of persistence, this is Revival Black pushing the Paul Kossoff vibe and the elect cool of British rock flourishing in the 21st Century.
Step in line and become invisible, there is safety there, but you will never be loved, you will attain truth. By stepping Under The Light you open yourself up to the world, and that is exactly where Revival Black should be, for in their new album they are ready for the world to embrace them fully, and never mind the haters with little or no imagination.
Ian D. Hall